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Option A - Tour Dates for tour commencing July 7th 2006
Study Component Schedule
|
Study Length
|
Arrival*
|
Commence
|
Holidays**
|
End Studies
|
|
10 weeks
|
APR/25-26
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APR/27
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MAY/03-05
|
JUL/06
|
|
8 weeks
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MAY/09-10
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MAY/11
|
|
JUL/06
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6 weeks
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MAY/23-24
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MAY/25
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|
JUL/06
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4 weeks
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JUN/06-07
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JUN/08
|
|
JUL/06
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2 weeks
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JUN/20-21
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JUN/22
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|
JUL/06
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*Arrival - there is a Nagoya airport pickup on the days indicated.
**Public/Institute holidays affecting classes are listed here in full.
Proposed Schedule (this may change, please refer to notes below)
|
Day
|
Date
|
Destination(s) - Click for info
|
Depart+
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Return+
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Lunch+
|
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1
|
JUL/07
|
Our theme today is "monozukuri" - the art of making things. We begin with a visit to
Okutono Jinya and
drink tea in a old samurai barracks with a beautiful Japanese garden, before heading to one of the key reasons for Japan's
emergence as a modern economy. At Toyota Motor we walk through their superb
Kaikan, learning about the processes involved
before heading to a Toyota Motor Factory for
a birdseye view. On our return journey we visit historic
Hatcho Miso - one of the oldest and most
successful Japanese businesses in existence today.
|
0830
|
1930
|
Yes
|
|
2
|
JUL/08
|
Today we head deep into
Gifu, but not before making a quick visit to the famous/infamous
Tagata Jinja and Oagata Jinja near
Komaki in Aichi. From to here we head to
Gujo Hachiman, an old castletown with historic
streetscapes before we make a stop at Hirugano
Kohgen. Our main destination today is the
Shirakawa-go area.
We will spend the rest of the day in the World Heritage listed village of
Ogimachi, enjoying the atmosphere of the thatched roofs, and interesting attractions
such as the Wada House and the
Myozenji Museum. We will return via the Shokawa area and Lake Miboro.
|
0730
|
2030
|
No
|
|
3
|
JUL/09
|
We head to the ancient capital of
Nara, visiting the "NaraKan" explaining in detail many aspects
of the World Heritage sites in the area. Our first stop is historic
Kofukuji, before walking through
Nara Koen with its sacred deer to
the ancient shrine of Kasuga Taisha.
From here we head across to Nigatsudo and
the wonderful Todaiji, the largest wooden
structure in the world and home to Nara's famous daibutsu. If the weather is wet we'll visit the
Isuien Garden & the Neiraku Museum.
If it is dry we'll drive to the top of
Wakasayama which gives us a fantastic view of the Yamato plain stretching from the outskirts of
Osaka northwards to the southern outskirts of
Kyoto, before returning via the scenic drive through the
World Heritage listed primaeval forest of Kasuga Taisha.
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0730
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1930
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No
|
|
4
|
JUL/10
|
Today we visit Hikone in
Shiga, and enter
Hikone Castle which is one of only 4 Japanese castles
that are designated as national treasures, and the adjoining
Genkyu-en Garden. From the top of the castle donjon there are
great views of Lake Biwa. We will also visit Umoreginoya, the former home of Naosuke Ii,
and Ryotanji Temple, with its beautiful paintings by Kyoroku
Morikawa and famous garden "Fudaraku no Niwa". If the weather is clear we will take a boat to
Chikubu Island to visit
Hogonji temple, the oldest and most famous of the three temples in Japan dedicated to the Benzaiten. If there is heavy rain,
we will head to Omi Hachiman with its famous
merchant's houses.
|
0730
|
1930
|
Yes
|
|
5
|
JUL/11
|
Our visit to Toyota Motor
on Day 1 gave us a snapshot insight into how Japanese people work these days, but what of the past or of those outside
massive corporations? Our first stop today is the old ceramics town and port
of Tokoname, where we will have the opportunity to
make pottery on the wheel with a master potter - a good chance to practise your Japanese too. We
then visit a 300 year old sake brewery at
Kunizakari Sake and after learning about
the sake brewing process take a bit of time to sample their products, before dropping by
Yoshihama Ningyou to see exactly what the master craftsmen who make
Japanese Ningyou dolls can really do when they set their minds and considerable skills to it. We end our tour with an
unusual destination. During the tour we have a chance to see Japan and the Japanese, but what do Japanese think and
make of us and our countries? - Denpark is a fascinating and enjoyable way of trying to figure that question out.
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0845
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1800
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No
|
|
6
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JUL/12
|
This will be a fairly relaxed day, as the next 5 are fairly busy. We drive up the Tomei to
Shizuoka Prefecture stopping at Hamanako, a massive tidal lagoon and Fujikawa. Here we will hopefully have a view of
Mount Fuji, though this will depend on the cloud cover. From Fujikawa we will visit
Numazu, enjoy lunch at
The Fishmarket Taproom and visit Cape Osezaki, and the Numazu Imperial Villa Memorial Park, which
is the only chance to see the inside of a royal residence in Japan. If we get good views of Mount Fuji we will linger in
Numazu for a while, if not we will head to the
famous Shiraito waterfalls.
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0800
|
1830
|
No
|
|
7
|
JUL/13
|
We begin a 3 day trip to the Kii Peninsula. We will take the scenic route via the
Atsumi Peninsula
surf beaches (to check out the scenery, not actually surf), before
crossing to Toba by sea. Our first stop is nearby at
Futamigaura, with the famous wedded rocks where
pilgrims cleansed themselves before heading to the
Ise Grand Shrines - the most important shrines in Japan.
After visiting the grand shrines we will sample the fun of
Okage Yokocho, before the
drive south through the Misaka Pass down the remote coastline visiting the strange rock formations of
Onigajo/Shishiiiwa and the Sea Turtles of Shichiri Mihama. After this we walk on duckboards through the fascinating but fragile
"floating island forest"of Ukijima, before our final destination for tonight, the small
fishing port of Kii Katsuura.
|
0700 Please bring passport or ARC with you for hotel check-in
|
N/A
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No
|
|
8
|
JUL/14
|
The waters off Kii Katsuura provide stunning rock formations and a great cruise around what
is known locally as Kii Matsushima. We will also visit the orca and dolphins of the Taiji Whale Museum, and board a
fascinating whaling ship (now a museum). From Kii Katsuura, it is only a short trip up to Nachi, which is the main
destination during this 3 day section of the tour. Nachi is the site of Japan's highest waterfall, and an ancient
shrine - but the reason we are here is for the Fire Festival. This festival is one of the top three fire festivals
in Japan and probably the most spectacular, both in its scale and its setting. We will spend most of the afternoon
in the hills around Nachi, returning to the coast for a seafood banquet and a stroll around the beautiful harbor.
There is a cave onsen a short ferry ride away which can be enjoyed as an optional extra.
|
N/A
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N/A
|
No
|
|
9
|
JUL/15
|
We will visit the spectacular Maruyama Senmaida, the Kiiwa mining museum, and the famous Shrines of Kumano, which are now
listed as World Heritage by UNESCO. From here
we will enjoy the waters of Yunomine Onsen - the oldest hot spring in Japan, before returning to Okazaki via the
Yoshino-Kumano National Park.
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N/A
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1930
|
No
|
|
10
|
JUL/16
|
Today we enjoy the best of Kyoto including 4 of the most famous sites in the city. In the morning we visit
Kinkakuji with its golden pavilion and
Ryoanji with its superstar rock garden, before
heading to historic Nijo Castle where we can walk through a
shogun's palace with its beautiful artwork and hidden passages while listening to the
"nightingale" floors designed to warn of intruders.
The real reason we are here though begins in the evening. We take in the sights of the
Gion Matsuri. The main roads are closed to cars
and the city center is lively on this night with Gion music and dances by Kyoto's geisha and maiko - including those who
entertain at exclusive Ochaya such as the Ichiriki
Ochaya. This is one of the best nights you will ever enjoy in Japan! We will eat out in Pontocho, and we are staying
overnight in a traditional ryokan in Gion.
|
0730 Please bring passport or ARC with you for ryokan check-in
|
N/A
|
No
|
|
11
|
JUL/17
|
After a Kyoto style
breakfast in the ryokan we begin our last day in Kyoto with some free time in the
shopping arcades, and getting a good vantage point to enjoying the great Gion Matsuri
parade. After seeing the sights of Gion and Kawaramachi
walking through the narrow streets of Nin-Nen Zaka and San-Nen Zaka to the famous temple of
Kiyomizudera, constructed from the year AD 778 by
Enchin with its spectacular butai and immensely popular Otowa-no-taki. We will also visit the Jishu shrine here before
returning to Okazaki.
|
NA
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2030
|
No
|
|
12
|
JUL/18
|
We first visit Takisanji with its perfect
Kamakura period architecture and magnificent
gate built in 1267 by Mitsunobu Fujiwara,
also taking time to get a close look at the beautiful
Toshogu built by the 3rd and most
powerful shogun of the Edo period
Tokugawa Iemitsu. We then drive to Horaiji-san - a
1300 year old temple set amongst the cliffs and if the weather is fine we'll hike up to Oku-no-in for the spectacular
views. We finish the day with a visit to the Nagashino
Castle Ruins and the
Shitagahara Battlefield - a turning point in Japanese history where
Oda Nobunaga and
Tokugawa Ieyasu defeated the cavalry of the Takeda clan in 1575.
|
0900
|
1800
|
No
|
+Departure from/Return to Okazaki times given using 24 hour clock (ie 0800 = 8am, 1830 = 6.30pm)
+Lunch - No/No indicates whether lunch is included or not.
Return = N/A means an overnight stay, usually in a ryokan or minshuku, where evening meal/breakfast is always included.
Departure point is either your student accommodation, or in the case of students doing Homestays or living off campus, from
Aoi Hall.
Discounts: As this is an off-season tour (the usual number of participants is 5 or less), it is possible to obtain
a discount of 5000 yen off the total program fee if payment is completed more than ten weeks before program commencement. This
discount is refunded to participants after they arrive at Yamasa.
Notes:
In the week before a tour commences, an informal briefing will be held for the participants, usually on the Monday preceding the
tour start date. If the number of students
participating is 6 students or less (which is usually the case in the off season), then the actual destinations, or the
order in which they are visited, can often be altered to reflect the specific interests of the group members.
Please also note that the schedule may need to be changed in the event of inclement weather/typhoons etc,
or the unforeseen closure of any given destination. Appropriate alternative destinations are chosen only after
consultation with you.
To help ensure that students can budget for expenses accurately, Institute staff will either purchase food (usually
bento and drinks) for you to eat or find a reasonably priced restaurant (maximum cost 1000 yen - with Yamasa paying for the
remainder of your food bill) if due to traffic/weather conditions we are delayed by more than one hour on the days we
return to Okazaki accommodation.
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C O M M U N I T Y M E M B E R S
